1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a thermal controller for a computer, a thermal control method for a computer, and a computer equipped with a thermal controller in which heat generated by a substrate and the like of a computer is moved to a predetermined portion.
2. Description of the Related Art
Notebook personal computers have been conventionally used. Wearable personal computers are also used these days. These mobile personal computers are used in various environments, and specifically, they are used on desks and are occasionally used on the user""s body, for example, on the user""s lap. When using such a mobile personal computer on the user""s body, the user can feel heat. It can sometimes feel uncomfortable.
Furthermore, the users of conventional notebook personal computers have actually complained about the following: when computer is used on his/her lap, his/her lap becomes very hot; when a PC card is removed immediately after use, the card is too hot to hold; and the keyboard is uncomfortably warm. For example, in a notebook personal computer 1 of FIG. 9, an MPU (microprocessor unit) 2 and a PC card 3 particularly generate a large amount of heat. The users sometimes feel the heat mainly from these parts.
An object of the present invention is to control the quantity of heat generated within a mobile personal computer so as not to give an uncomfortable feeling to the user.
Another object of the present invention is to control the direction of movement of heat from inside of a personal computer so as not to give an uncomfortable feeling to the user.
In the thermal controller for a computer, the thermal control method for a computer and the computer is equipped with a thermal controller according to the present invention, heat generated from a predetermined part of the computer is distributed to a plurality of predetermined positions.
Also, in the thermal controller for a computer, the thermal control method for a computer and the computer equipped with a thermal controller according to the present invention, quantities of heat moved to a plurality of predetermined positions are changed by control means or in a controlling step. The phrase xe2x80x9cmovement of heat xe2x80x9d used herein means the heat conduction within an object or body or heat transfer between different objects.
Furthermore, in the thermal controller for a computer and the computer equipped with a thermal controller of the present invention, the quantity of heat absorbed from a heat radiating member by a thermomodule device is adjusted so as to change the quantities of heat to be moved to a plurality of predetermined positions. A thermomodule device used herein means a device utilizing the Peltier effect or the Thomson effect, which exhibits heat absorption in one portion and heat radiation in the other portion when an electric current is passed.
In the computer equipped with a thermal controller of the present invention, the computer is a mobile personal computer, and heat generated from a predetermined part of the computer is distributed at least to the vicinity of a top face and the vicinity of a bottom face of the main body of the computer. A mobile personal computer used herein means a notebook personal computer, a wearable personal computer and the like.